I'm alive and finally back to writing. Now that I have some goals and objectives, more blogging should follow. I spat out about 3 posts today. More to follow. Oh, yeah and all the titles from today's posts are song titles from my work out mix, if you can figure out all the artists, you get a cookie.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Fuck Armaggedon...This is Hell
The other thing I want to talk about today is my increasingly frustrating job search. Frustrating because it's going no where. The worst part about all of this is the silence I've been getting. I think it's only a fair bit of courtesy that if I take the time and effort to apply to your firm, you at a minimum, send out a no thanks post card. That's all I really ask. If that's too expensive, how about a form rejection email.
I've also decided to change strategies a bit here. While before things have been going out into the ether and that was the end of it on my part, I've decided to become a bit more active in the process. By that I mean, take the risk of being annoying. Couldn't hurt to make some calls and shake some trees if I'm not getting jobs anyway. I feel like the whole process is somewhat degrading. Anyway, enough whining.
Hmm, I wish I could get in with some sharks like these.
Everready
One post I've been meaning to do for a couple of weeks now is a little review of the hat the Librarian's parents got me as a Christmas present. It's a NikeFIT Hatphones hat and it's pretty sweet. The built in headphones work fairly well and are at least loud enough to block out a lot of the road noise/distractions when I'm out running.
The hat's greatest strength is also it's weakness. For a guy like me, I get hot fast. I start sweating even before I start running. I've been known to sweat on a walk. That means, at least for me, that overheating is a big issue. I can say without hyperbole that the hat is like wearing burning coals under plastic bag, it's that warm. That's not so much of a problem on a day like today when it's 22 degrees out. However, I went running the other day, in shorts and a tee shirt, when it was 50 degrees out and I was so warm I had to take the shirt off. Which, as an aside is a hilarious thing to see in the winter in Chicago. A fat, sweaty, white dude, running in a hat and shorts and nothing else. Several people honked and whistled.
The hat is very comfortable otherwise. The sweatband works pretty well at keeping the sweat locked up and out of my eyes which is good, since with out that I'd go nuts. I am a bit afraid of what it's going to smell like come spring time though.
The hat's greatest strength is also it's weakness. For a guy like me, I get hot fast. I start sweating even before I start running. I've been known to sweat on a walk. That means, at least for me, that overheating is a big issue. I can say without hyperbole that the hat is like wearing burning coals under plastic bag, it's that warm. That's not so much of a problem on a day like today when it's 22 degrees out. However, I went running the other day, in shorts and a tee shirt, when it was 50 degrees out and I was so warm I had to take the shirt off. Which, as an aside is a hilarious thing to see in the winter in Chicago. A fat, sweaty, white dude, running in a hat and shorts and nothing else. Several people honked and whistled.
The hat is very comfortable otherwise. The sweatband works pretty well at keeping the sweat locked up and out of my eyes which is good, since with out that I'd go nuts. I am a bit afraid of what it's going to smell like come spring time though.
Start Today
So, here I am back again after a bit of a lazy hiatus. I've mostly been sitting on my ass playing Halo 3 online against various students, basement dwellers and assorted unemployed bums like myself. However, last night I was given the motivation I needed to get off my duff and get moving. Pinky emailed me and several other people about running this years Shamrock Shuffle. At 8k, it'll be the longest race I've run so far. I'm hoping to get in a 10k this year, possibly even a half marathon if I can get my legs/knees to cooperate.
I decided that today would mark the official start of my training and attempt to get back in shape. Over the last couple of months since my Grandma died and I passed the bar I haven't done a whole lot of running, however, I have done a lot of stress eating. I had managed to get myself down to a svelte 190, today I weighed in at a rotund 210. I guess no more cake, candy and extra food for me.
After the weigh-in I stretched out and went out for a run. Do you know what running in 22 degree Chicago weather is like? Well, let me give you a frame of reference. Fill your bathtub with ice and cold water. Then, if your bathroom is small like mine, position a window A/C unit on your toilet and point it at where your head would be. Then, take two ice packs and wrap them around your knees. Next, jump into the ice filled tub and switch on the A/C so that it's running full blast into your face. Finally, have someone, CAREFULLY, stick a hair dryer down your shirt. That should give you an idea of how pleasant it truly is.
I set out to only run 8k today but then I got angry at my current life situation and ended up running 10k at 1:08:48. Only about 2 minutes worse than my best 10K time. And considering how frozen I was I'll take that as a pretty good time for me. Now, If I can manage to shave like 10-15 minutes off that, I'll be a happy boy.
I decided that today would mark the official start of my training and attempt to get back in shape. Over the last couple of months since my Grandma died and I passed the bar I haven't done a whole lot of running, however, I have done a lot of stress eating. I had managed to get myself down to a svelte 190, today I weighed in at a rotund 210. I guess no more cake, candy and extra food for me.
After the weigh-in I stretched out and went out for a run. Do you know what running in 22 degree Chicago weather is like? Well, let me give you a frame of reference. Fill your bathtub with ice and cold water. Then, if your bathroom is small like mine, position a window A/C unit on your toilet and point it at where your head would be. Then, take two ice packs and wrap them around your knees. Next, jump into the ice filled tub and switch on the A/C so that it's running full blast into your face. Finally, have someone, CAREFULLY, stick a hair dryer down your shirt. That should give you an idea of how pleasant it truly is.
I set out to only run 8k today but then I got angry at my current life situation and ended up running 10k at 1:08:48. Only about 2 minutes worse than my best 10K time. And considering how frozen I was I'll take that as a pretty good time for me. Now, If I can manage to shave like 10-15 minutes off that, I'll be a happy boy.
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